A Warrior's Heart
by IceDragonMist
Summary: I joined the Chinese Army in my father's place disguised as a man. Once the war was over I continued on my journey, I wasn't sure where I was going. I came to a land that was unfamiliar to me where I came into the company of a Prince and Princess. I fell in love without realizing it. My name is Mulan and this is my story. MulanxAuroraxOC


_**Hello, hello! I'm back with a new story one that I have been thinking of for a while now. Hopefully I'm still in time to join the ranks but I do know that some time has passed since then. Once that episode of OUAT aired I jumped on that SleepingWarrior ban-wagon so fast, I had to remind myself it was just a tv show. XD **_

_**But all in all I wanted to share my idea for a story, no doubt its more or less a retelling from OUAT's point of view, but with my own twist to it. Anyway I hope you fans and shippers out there enjoy this story. Let me know what you thought and if I should continue. Thanks, take care and read and review! ;D**_

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF OUAT OR DISNEY!  
>Claimer: I OWN THIS STORY I WROTE IT! ;D<br>Copyright: IceDragonMist 2014**_

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><p>My name is Mulan. I joined the Chinese Army disguised a man, taking my father's place to save him from an imminent death. I foresaw my family's trust, loyalty, love, and honor diminish for what I had done and knew only two options were left for me. Banishment from the only home I had ever known or death for deceit. After evading and defeating the Hun-Army with my brothers in arms, my guise was soon exposed. I found that the men were forgiving and that my skills as a warrior and helping them gain victory were enough to spare me. They recognized me as one of them and honored me, in return it also restored honor to my family and they welcomed me home.<p>

My father didn't see me as his sweet, innocent, little girl anymore but as an equal. He assured me that he always loved me and worried for me while I was gone and only wanted me to return home safely. My father told me that such 'Bravery' and 'Courage' only lie within the hearts of true warriors. Hailed as a hero I gained great renown all throughout China. I was first of many female soldiers who followed. I had since then lived an adventurous life and fought many other battles, each one more enduring that the last.  
>It was then that my heart had taken over my warrior's spirit; for I had fallen in love with a man. I had only ever loved one man… he died as we faced our enemies together. He died saving my life; it was then I made a promise to myself to protect my heart and never to fall in love again. During my journey I came upon a land, an unfamiliar land that seemed untouched and unexplored by man. It was peaceful and had beauty that could almost surpass that of China.<p>

As I ventured on I met a man, a young Prince whose name was Phillip. He told me his story of his beloved Princess and how he had tried to find her. She'd been put under a 'Magic' spell, this word was foreign to me for no one back home ever used this word. Philip described to me what magic was, apparently in this land, this Enchanted Forest, magic was thriving. I later found out first hand that there is no such thing as good or bad magic it all depends on how you use it.  
>I told Philip I would help him rescue his beloved, since I knew what it was like to lose a loved one I could understand his suffering. As we traveled together and learned more of each other I began to develop feelings for him. I didn't believe these feelings I had were of love but of 'Admiration', only because we had shared similar experiences.<p>

We fought through hordes of Bandits, Trolls, Gremlins, we even came across a Dragon during our excursion and countless other creatures I had never seen the likings of. We survived it all… somehow we survived. Our voyage; after some time had come to an end when we reached an old crumbling castle. It stood tall and wide unlike anything I had ever seen, yet it seemed lifeless and withdrawn as if no one had ever cared for this towering man-made structure. In the castle's center was Philip's princess. She had lain asleep, lifeless as the castle itself. She looked like a porcelain doll, such fair skin and fragile, almost afraid to touch her of fear she might break.  
>I turned away as Philip put his lips on hers, breaking the spell and finally awakening her from her long slumber. Was it jealousy? Perhaps but at the same time I was happy that they were finally reunited after such a long time. She took in a vast breath of air, then I heard her voice for the first time as she called out Philip's name. Holding and kissing him I got a better view of this Princess, the color returned to her pale cheeks, they were now flushed with a rosy color and she had magnificent blue eyes full of luster with life.<p>

I was wrong… for I saw a beauty that knew no bounds. Beauty that surely surpassed anything I had ever seen before and will probably never see again. I didn't have to wonder anymore why Philip was so enthralled with her, for I saw it with my own eyes, but I knew it was deeper than that… their love ran deeper than the surface. At that moment I felt a twinge in my chest the instant her eyes fell to me. I wasn't sure at that time what I was feeling… until later when I realized. We were briefly introduced by Philip, as I took off my helmet revealing myself to her, "You're… a girl?" she said sounding surprised.  
>"Woman." I quickly responded to her. Aurora… that was her name, her eyes peered over me as I sensed the jealousy from her immediately. Our meeting and their reunion was cut short due to an ominous figure that had appeared before us, which later took Prince Philip and thus threw me into another journey with Aurora this time.<p>

We both wanted to save Philip and return him to this world, we both had our reasons, and mines was to repay a debt. He had protected me many times even when I didn't need protecting but Aurora, well that was her Prince and she still was insistent that there had been 'something' between Philip and me.  
>Countless times we argued over the issue and countless times I told her there was nothing, she was a beauty no doubt but very insecure. It was later when we came into the company of another Princess named Snow White and her daughter Emma.<br>This of course baffled me when clearly at first glance Emma was as old as Snow. They tried to explain about their world another world from that of the Enchanted Forest, where Snow White was originally from. That word 'Magic' came up again several times, even in their world magic seemed to run rampant, we all soon realized our goals were similar and had coincided. As we all traveled together Aurora brought up that subject again… it was kind of disheartening.

"Deny it all you want, but I know love when I see it." I wasn't actually denying anything so I told her, "You're wrong." But she wasn't entirely wrong…whom was it that I loved? And why did this hit me so strongly? Soon that answer reviled itself to me, it was at that point when I knew anything was possible in this magical world when I held Aurora's beating heart in my hand. It was so warm, the warmth from her heart seared through the palm of my hand. I… had to place her heart back in her chest, but I was unsure how.

"Have you ever done this before?" I said, "No." what else could I have said, it wasn't an everyday thing; placing heart's back into people normally. But I did it I just shoved her heart back inside her, it was an extraordinary feeling something I would not be able to describe clearly or ever forget. In that precise moment she became precious to me, I would give my life for her if I must. Holding her fragile heart in my hand change my view of her drastically… no maybe even before then. That's when that familiar twinge in my chest returned, it wasn't just coming from within my chest but within my heart and I recognized this feeling, the feeling of love.  
>I had only ever loved one person, one man and now, I was falling in love with Aurora. This Princess stole my heart without even realizing it or, maybe I just let her. I won't lie I did grow attached to her in some ways I figured it was only because of my promise to Philip, to protect her that made me feel this way. I was lying to myself… but I had to lie and dissolve anything and everything I felt for her, for she was not mine to have nor was it right. Eventually we found a way to return Philip to this world, where they returned home and I continued on my travels, but I was not yet ready to leave this wondrous land behind to head home.<p>

I stayed with them as a sort of 'Bodyguard', only exploring this wondrous and magnificent land when I felt stagnant, I wanted nothing more than to stay by _her_ side. She was my new purpose in life for love, hope, and a future. I no longer carried that burden with me, all this time I was looking for a meaningful death. I blamed myself for _his_ death, he was strong and brave but his love for me was unconditional. His heart had taken over his mind when he came to my rescue… I was his downfall; his demise. Shang… he sacrificed himself for me so that I may live, so now I will do the same for someone I deemed worthy and repay him for what he had given to me; a second chance at life.

Aurora became that person for me someone I'd willingly give my life for. I had a Princess' heart to protect now. Even so I was still unsure where my heart had resided. I felt torn between my friendship and mutual respect toward Philip, and my friendship and new-found love in Aurora. Since then I found myself spending more time with her getting to know her, I wanted to found out everything about her. I only wished I had been more focused on those thoughts when she and I were wandering around together, when trying to find a way to rescue Philip.  
>It was difficult, to find some alone time with her when he was almost always around. How could I blame him though? She was his they did love each other and they hadn't been together in such a long time, so who was I to stand in their way. I became nothing more than a close friend, a respected friend and swordswoman to them I was just Mulan a woman from a far off place. Aurora, however seemed fascinated with where I came from she always wanted to hear stories of my homeland.<p>

I told her much about my life, about my home where I was born, my family and how I ended up with a sword in my hand. When I told her how I took my father's place, she told me how courageous I was. I also relayed to her that I wasn't lucky enough to be a Princess and grow up in a gigantic castle, she wasn't insulted; Aurora actually found humor in what I said. I told her my family worked hard for everything they had and that we owned a tiny farm, we weren't rich but we weren't poor either. The people in our village had great respect for my family even more so when I had returned home after the war.

Aurora expressed that she too, wanted to become a great fighter like me after listening to my stories of my Army days. I decided to take Aurora and teach her a few things about weaponry, it was also a good chance to sharpen my skills again. I think she became inspired by my stories and wanted to learn how to protect herself than have someone always protecting her. I knew that feeling very well I was in her shoes once… well more than once, even after I had learnt to defend myself. I showed her a few stances and blocking techniques with the sword, basic defensive maneuvers nothing to strenuous or full forced.

Ah, but Aurora much to my dismay was very headstrong about it. She is very stubborn and doesn't know how to take 'No' as an answer. She really wanted to learn how to use a sword, or any weapon for that matter correctly in an offensive way. I didn't feel that she was ready to learn how to attack anyone or anything yet, but she was very insistent I was practically forced to say 'Yes'. But she was out of control Aurora was swinging the sword around like a madwoman; so much so that she lost her grip on the handle and the blade went flying… it nearly took off my head. So we moved on to something a little less dangerous.  
>I set her up in front of a tree, a couple of feet away, with a bow and arrow in her hand. I figured some archery lessons were a better place to start plus it seemed less dangerous than a sword. I knew she wouldn't be able to nearly take off my head with the arrows… hopefully. I told her to focus on the tree and to pick a spot out, when she felt she had found her target she pulled back on the string, but not far back enough. The arrow fell from the bow a few inches in front of her. It was a pathetic attempt at a first try but then again I maybe should have demonstrated first. I took another arrow from the quiver and placed it in the bow.<p>

I handed it off to Aurora, really I wanted her to do this than just show her. I stood behind her explaining to her what to do, I told her to take two fingers and place it on the string, pulling it back to its full extent. I then told her to ease up and lower her shoulder just a bit and to aim for her target. When she felt ready she released it, the arrow flew straight to the tree, and it was a direct hit she actually got the arrow stuck in the tree truck. Aurora got very excited but I told her she needed to practice more, so she did a couple more times. She looked at me at one point with a wide smile on her face, and I couldn't help but to stare back at her, I felt that I was being draw in by her beautiful blue eyes.  
>I felt myself leaning toward her as if I was going in for a kiss. <em>Was I really going to kiss her?<em> It was a thought that ran through my mind quickly but I noticed that she made no attempt to move. Did she know I was going to kiss her or was she not even aware of what I was doing? Either way I stopped myself and at the same time Philip came running along.

I took my leave and let them be alone, since it was her that he wanted to talk to. He seemed to have some news to tell her, so I thought it only right to give them some privacy. It got under my skin again… every time Aurora and I were alone he somehow found a way to intrude on our moments together. Why was I acting so jealous? Was it because I had fallen in love with her, this whole time? But I found myself still unsure of what to do, maybe it would've been easier to just go home and spare myself this pain.  
>Later that evening I was in the courtyard looking up to the sky. The stars sparkled brighter that night, I had also been admiring the flowers in the garden Aurora had tended too. She cultivated them from almost nothing there was barely any life left in this garden. It showed the time she spent tending to it, it was just another thing that was special about her, her compassion. As I found out later of her compassionate ways. When I was still staring up at the stars I sensed someone behind me. I could feel their eyes on me, I turned around to face this person and it was her.<p>

Aurora… standing there so close to me, yet so far. The moonlight bathed over her and the way the light reflected off her skin gave her a magnificent glow. She was radiant in every light, and I felt that my gaze lingered on her longer than it should have. She gave me a delicate smile as she walked over to me; Aurora stood next to me looking up at that night sky as well. "Have you ever been in love, Mulan?" She suddenly asked me it caught me off guard. After everything she had ever questioned me about or had asked, that was the one thing I didn't expect.

So I told her about Shang. About how we met, how we fell in love and were engaged to be wed. I told her of his death; how he died trying to save me. I was confiding to her about my first love, of the man I was going to marry someday and share a life with. But as it so happens my life didn't turn out that way in fact maybe it wasn't meant to be. Of course that feeling would never go away, that feeling of losing a loved one but more importantly I was falling in love with another.  
>Aurora wept for me she was so full of sorrow for me after telling her about the man I loved. I couldn't understand why, she told me that she understood that feeling especially when Philip was gone. She told me if she could she would bring him back for me, after seeing how hard I fought to bring her Prince back to her.<p>

"You'll find true love again." She told me that after she had stopped crying for me… it actually broke my heart. Of course I could never tell her that I had already found a _new _love. When she held me in her arms I held her back tightly, I didn't want to leave the comfort of her arms. As we pulled away from one another we paused, like that moment earlier, I leaned in again and kissed her on the forehead. It was clumsy and awkward I almost kissed her on the eye and I don't know why I did it. No, that isn't true I knew why but she didn't.

Aurora smiled at me and told me to have a good night. "Goodnight, Princess." It was the last thing I said to her that night as I watched her walk away. We never again spoke of that night of that awkward kiss I gave to her, it was better that way I didn't want to relive it… I wanted to erase it from my memory.  
>My fear of rejection had taken over I was lying to myself, I was lying to her. I was in love with a woman who was already spoken for a woman who I considered a great deal of importance to me, a woman who would never look at me in the same way as I do her.<br>_It's hard for me to breathe, think, or hold back when you're around. _Why me and why her… why now? I couldn't find an answer so I tried to distance myself from Aurora. Later I found myself in a place I hadn't yet explored and that was when our worlds collided once more. It was a few months after meeting Emma and Snow that I met a man named Neal. He wasn't exactly sure how he got here but he said he had to get back to his family, to Emma and Henry.

I explained to him that I knew Henry, in a way only through Aurora. That they had somehow connected in their dreams and spoke to each other. It was because of that, that Emma and Snow were able to make it back home. Neal later told me that there were stories of 'me', folktales and such that they were just stories never having true evidence of my existence. I was not a figment of imagination, I was very real. He also said there was a there was a movie about me based on my life; his exact words were, "You know they made a movie about you, it was pretty good actually." Where in turn I asked "What's a movie?"

It was just another thing I was unfamiliar with in their world. Something I would probably never get to experience. Neal stammered before finally answering me. "Yeah, I don't know how to explain what a movie is." I wasn't exactly happy about his answer but I could understand why. At the same time there was another man I met, his name was Robin Hood. He too wanted to help Neal as payment of a debt to Neal's father Rumpelstiltskin. We had to look for a way and gather supplies in order for him to get to 'Neverland' where his family was, another place I knew nothing of.  
>As Robin and I were helping him I talked to him more about Emma where later Neal gave me some unintentional advice. "If you love someone you shouldn't hold it in." It was at that moment that I felt that twinge in my heart again. All this time that pain… it wasn't heartache but the love I was holding in for Aurora. Finally making up my mind I knew I had to tell her, whether she rejected me or not. I knew what I had to do now, I was feeling more exhilarated in that moment then I had been for a long time. We had helped Neal get to Neverland hopefully in one piece; both Robin and I were seemingly about to part ways when he asked if I would join him and his men.<p>

Robin expressed that he never seen a fighter like me before and that he could use someone like me in his group. He also said that he hoped I didn't take offensive since I would have been the first and only woman to join. I told him I had been in that position before so it wasn't an issue for me, but I had to put his offer on hold. I said that I had someone to speak to first before I make a decision. "A loved one?" He asked, "We shall see." I told him I would return if anything but all at once I was wishing I didn't have to and that maybe, just maybe she would feel the same way.  
>When I had reached the castle I ran immediately where I knew she might be, and there she was as I expected. She was carefully tending to her garden as she always did with such love and care. She looked so beautiful but she was always beautiful I would've stood there and stared at her for hours… no maybe forever.<p>

My heart was pounding I felt as if it were about to burst from my chest. She suddenly turned as if she could sense that I were there. She had that bright big smile on her face, it was infections for I felt a big smile upon my lips at that instant. I went rushing over to her I had to contain myself from simply blurting it out. I had asked if Philip were around she said yes and if I wanted her to go get him. There wasn't any need for that since it was her I had to talk to, I was gathering my courage and yet I still was hesitant or distracted.  
>Aurora kept smiling widely at me and I couldn't think she took away my focus. "I can tell you're bursting with news, but I have news of my own." And she continued on because I let her because I let that moment slip away; a moment I shall never get back. "Philip and I are expecting a baby." She was so happy and glowing… how could I say it now? My heart sank and my world came crashing down that feeling of excitement quickly washed away. I congratulated her and then she asked what it was I had to tell her. "I'm joining Robin's band. I came to say goodbye."<p>

I literally felt my heart breaking in two. "You're leaving us?" No, I was just leaving her there was no other choice. "I'm afraid so." I put on a brave face as she went to hug me, this hug lasted longer than earlier ones, I really didn't want to let go. As we pulled away I glanced at her briefly I noticed a slight pained look on her face. Was she sad to see me go? Possibly but now there was no reason for me to stay. They were going to have a child together… where could I fit into her life now?  
>When I returned to Robin's camp, he and his men welcomed me with open arms. They were happy that I had decided to join them more so them than I was. I had nowhere else to go really, no home to call my own so this was my only option my only new home to go to. This was for the best I fell too hard and fast for someone I knew in my heart I could never have. I was always fooling myself always feeding my own delusions of happiness.<p>

It had only been a couple of weeks since I had joined up with Robin Hood's band, I became more drawn into what their cause was, helping those less fortunate. Their motto of "Stealing from the Rich and giving to the Poor" became clear to me, seeing those impoverished, opened my eyes yet again to how unforgiving the world could be. We would also drive out Bandits or any who terrorized villagers in exchange for money. I felt good again at peace with myself, doing what I do best the only thing I knew how to do, I found a new purpose in my life again.  
>One night after a caravan raid, we all sat by the bond fire celebrating but I wasn't in a particular mood to celebrate. The others were putting aside anything we really didn't need, gold, clothing, jewels basically anything that was worth money. I stepped away from all that and took a moment to myself something began weighing on me heavily, I wasn't sure what, I was finally coming back into my own and yet… something was missing. Robin came over with a bottle of Ale for me to have I thanked him and took a sip. A sour taste came rushing into my mouth so I quickly spit it out.<p>

"Robin, I think this Ale is bad." He shook his head at me, "Nonsense. We just got this a couple of days ago." He took a sip himself and in almost a déjà vu experience, he spit it out as well. "Ah, I see. Well, to the Victor belong the Spoils. And this surely couldn't get any more spoiled." I smiled at the joke he made I don't even remember the last time I smiled or laughed. Robin asked me if I would like a fresh batch that is if we had any, I declined I wasn't really in the mood for drinking. I wasn't in the mood for anything I felt empty.

"Did you enquire?" He suddenly asked me. "I beg your pardon?" Robin smiled at me and asked me again, "Did you enquire about your Princess?" I felt the blood drain from my face, which was odd since I felt more embarrassed than anything it was surprising that I wasn't flaring up instead. Almost two days after I had joined up with Robin and his men, he found me crying my eyes out, I was never so vulnerable in my life. He asked me why I was so riddled with sadness so I entrusted to him about the person I loved. Undoubtedly he looked shocked at first, speechless to say the least but he wasn't judgmental or questionable about it, he simply said he understood.  
>That's when he told me about his wife. He spoke of her with such passion and love, the likes of which I never heard before. The way he spoke of her made my love for Aurora seem so small; if Robin could speak of his departed wife in that way, what did that say about me? Afterwards I told him more about Aurora and what she meant to me and how I truly felt for her and then he asked me, "Is she a girl worth fighting for?"<p>

I never got a chance to answer him on that day then again she wasn't just any girl to me. "You know I can't. She and Philip… they're expecting a child." The look he shot me was a look of disappointment, I've only ever known one other man to ever look at me that way, and he's gone. Robin told me it shouldn't matter whether they're having a child together or not. It's what's in a person's heart that counts, and I think I knew her heart pretty well. He said that I won't even know what is in her heart if I didn't have the nerve to tell her how I felt, I told him I didn't want to break up a family. He responded by saying, "If they broke up, it wouldn't be because of you. But because something was already broken."

Robin continued to try to inspire me it was probably because he felt and could see my sorrow I wasn't truly happy yet. He told me that he will always love his late wife, that he was lucky to have known her to share a life with her. The thing he loved her most for was giving him a son. Although that was his only son it didn't mean he couldn't fall in love again and have a family. In his own way he was basically trying to tell me that nothing should stand in the way of what I feel for her, and that no matter what I should pour my heart out to her.  
>"She may surprise you. You'll never know if you don't try, so I'll as you again. Is she a girl worth fighting for?" It was time to follow my heart there was no need for me to hide it anymore. Even if she doesn't feel the same at least I'll know, instead of always wondering 'what if'. "Woman. And yes she is worth it." We both smiled widely and he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Mulan, go get your princess. We shall be awaiting your return, if you return."<p>

I thanked him for his words of support as I got on my horse. I didn't know what was waiting ahead for me. It was terrifying and comforting. At first when I first came to this land I was still in mourning and wanted a satisfying death, for I felt nothing but guilt for Shang's death. Then someone gave me hope, a woman. An enchanting, engaging, selfless woman whom I had gained overwhelming feelings for. I had only ever loved one woman and I would fight till the end for her even if she didn't love me back I will still fight for her… I will give my life for her. I tried everything I could to forget her to diminish my love for her, but with a love like this so strong… it holds steady in your heart.


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